Saint Louis County Police Department 2023-2028 Strategic Plan

Letter from the Chief

ChiefKennethGregory

IamproudtopresentourDepartment’s20232028StrategicPlan Wehaveworkedhardto lookatamultitudeoffactorsinfluencingthe communitiesweserveandformulatestrategies andinitiativestoimprovethelivesofall citizens. Thisplanfeaturesseveralgoalareas thatrepresentthecoreofouroperationsand commitmentstothecommunity Inthe developmentofourstrategicplanfor20232028,weamendedgoalsandgainedinputfrom ourcitizens. Thevoiceofourcommunitywill driveouragencyaswemoveforwardoverthe nextfiveyears.Inaddition,wegainedinternal inputfromouremployeesaboutwhatismost importanttothem.

Feedbackfrombothcommissionedandprofessionalstaffpersonnel,ofallranks,isofthe utmostimportance. Thegoalsandkeyactivitiespreservedinthisdocumentwillbe measuredandreviewedonaquarterlybasisforprogress. Thisplanwillgiveouragencyan outstandingguideasweprogressintheservicetoourcitizens,andmakethisDepartmenta greatplacetoworkforallinoureffortstoadvanceinlawenforcement.

Sincerely, ColonelKennethGregory ChiefofPolice

A Message from the Board of Police Commissioners

The Board of Police Commissioners for the St. Louis County Police Department supervisesoperationsandsetsDepartmentpolicy Weareproudtoendorsethisstrategic plantoguidetheDepartment’sinitiativesandareasoffocusoverthenextfiveyears.The plan,createdwithstrongcitizeninput,willaffectallaspectsoftheDepartmentandwe areconfidentthattheplan,coupledwiththededicationandenthusiasmofDepartment employees,willbringaboutmanypositivechangesfortheSt.Louisregion.

Mr.BrianAshworth Chair,St LouisCountyBoardofPoliceCommissioners

SaintLouis CountyPolice Department

Introduction

Forover67years,theSt.LouisCountyPolice Department has provided the citizens of St. LouisCounty,MOwiththehighestqualityof lawenforcementintheregion.Fordecades, theDepartmenthasbeenaleaderindriving policies and practices that keep the county safe and up to date with modern policing strategies. As policing responsibilities continue to shift, we use strategic planning asavitaltooltoidentifyemergingissuesand developsolutionstomeettheDepartment’s overallmission.

To work cooperatively with the public, and within the framework of the Constitution to enforce the laws, preserve the peace, reduce fear, and provide a safe environment in our neighborhoods.

To support this mission, the St. Louis County Police Department has compiled a new 5-year strategic plan that features five goals, 23 initiatives, and 103 key activities. We focus on: community engagement along with crime reduction, organizational transparency, modern technology, an increased workforce, and additional training. The planprovidesaformatthatallowsfortheclearidentificationofactivitiestheDepartment wantstoaccomplishalongwithoverallresponsibilityandaccountabilityforeachofthose tasks. The Strategic Plan is inclusive of the Department’s commissioned and professional staff employeesaswellasmembersofthecommunity.Notonlyisitprogressiveandreflective ofemergingandcomplextrends,butoverits5-yearlifecycleitwillcontinuetoevolveto ensure that the various activities identified are completed. These activities aim to accomplish meaningful results for the citizens of St. Louis County and will make the regionabetterplacetoworkandlive.

SaintLouis CountyPolice Department

TheBureauofResearchandAnalysisproposedalistofgoals,initiatives,and key activities they believed would be beneficial for the Department to focus on during the next five years. These initiatives were selected after review of the 2018-2022 strategic plan, Teneo report, as well as work done by Departmentcommittees.

Theproposedgoals,initiatives,andkeyactivitieswerepresentedtoExecutive CommandStaffforreviewandfeedback Recommendationsweremadebyall LieutenantColonel’s,andthedraftwasrevisedatthediscretionoftheDeputy ChiefandChief

LieutenantColonelsweretoldtoformworkinggroupswithintheirdivisionsto ensure equal representation amongst employees. The revised draft was presented to the group and additional feedback was made to the plan. Revisions were made to the draft at the discretion of the Deputy Chief and Chief.

Questions centering around the five goals the Department had already identified in the plan were created to solicit outside feedback from the community and Department employees. Surveys were posted on various social media platforms to ensure a diverse group of residents were reached. Over 300 responses were received from the community while over 200 responseswerereceivedfromDepartmentemployees.

The Bureau of Research and Analysis reviewed and sorted all survey responses Responsesthatdidnotfitintotheplanwerecompiledintoareport and sent to executive leadership for further review, potential action, or consideration All other responses were compiled together as future action items for already identified key activities, and the plan further revised based onthediscretionoftheDeputyChiefandChief

Formsidentifyingeachdivision’sresponsibilitiesintheplan,duration,and costwerecreatedbytheBureauofResearchandAnalysisandsuppliedto eachLieutenantColoneltoreviewanddiscussfutureactionitemsto implementkeyactivitieswithintheirworkinggroups.

FinalrevisionsweremadetothedraftandsenttotheBoardofPolice Commissionersforfinalapprovalanddisseminationtothepublic

Goal 1

ProtectandEngageSaintLouisCounty

The Department's central mission is to protect the residents of St. Louis County through the enforcement of laws, preservation of peace, and reduction of fear with the intent to create safer neighborhoods We plan to continue this endeavor by pursuing collaboration with local law enforcement partners and further evaluating programs and strategies for efficiency to reduce crime. The Department also recognizes that to be successful in crime reduction, relationships with community residentsshouldcontinuetobenurtured.Therefore,wewillworktostrengthenour relationships with the community through the expansion of programs, information sharing,andadditionalresidentengagementopportunities.

SaintLouis CountyPolice Department

Goal 1: Initiative A EnhanceCommunityTrust

1 ContinuetoimprovetheBureauofCommunity Engagement andemphasizethevarious resourcesthebureauoffers.

2 Develop a process to allow for more public involvementinthepolicydevelopmentprocess. X 3 Enhance the current Citizen's Police Academy to engageamorediversegroupofparticipants.

X 4

Develop a pathway for citizens to provide feedback of recent police interactions. This will allow for concerns to be addressed in a timely manner and taken into consideration for future policy.

X X 5 Measure and enhance overall community confidence and public sentiment towards the Department. X X X X 6 Develop a pathway for communications with citizenswhoprovideinformationand/orcriticism on the Department's community engagement efforts. X X 7

Improve the public's perception of crime by clearly communicating crime trends through interactivetechnologythatprovidesaccurateand current data to minimize misconceptions by the community.

SaintLouis CountyPolice Department

X X

Goal 1: Initiative B

ReduceCrimeandVictimization

P

DCI

X

Have the Chief and executive staff produce periodic virtual messaging to highlight the Department's priorities and actions that are being taken to address certain crimes while providinginformationtothecommunityonhow topreventcrimes

X

3

X

4

X

5

X

X X X X

HR

Goal 2

EnhanceOrganizationalAccountability

For law enforcement to maintain public trust within the communities they serve, theremustbeprovensystemsfororganizationalaccountability.TheSt.LouisCounty PoliceDepartmentiscommittedtotransparencyandensuringthatweareproactively improvingourinteractionwiththepublic.Byutilizingvariousresources,wewillwork to review the types of data we collect, continue to adjust our strategic plan throughout its 5-year cycle, and focus our efforts on finding solutions to mitigate instances of response to resistance, as well as aim to refine other risk and harm reductionstrategies.

SaintLouis CountyPolice Department

Goal 2: Initiative B

LeverageData

SaintLouis CountyPolice Department

Goal 3

ModernizeTechnologyandFacilities

Digital devices, cloud-based software, and data-driven tools are changing the landscape of law enforcement. These new technologies would allow the St. Louis CountyPoliceDepartmenttooperatewithmoreproficiencybyestablishingprocesses that would ultimately save time, money, and allow for efficient solutions for crime fighting. Therefore, we will work to incorporate technology in our administrative processes, further expand our technological capabilities for employees in the field, andstrivetoimprovedepartmentalfacilitiesandresources.

SaintLouis CountyPolice Department

Goal 4

MaximizeWorkforcePotential

ManpowerisvitalforthedailyoperationsoftheSt.LouisCountyPoliceDepartment and it ensures that we are meeting the needs of our residents. Our employees work tirelesslytokeepSt LouisCountysafeandwearecommittedtoexploringnewways to proactively strengthen and expand our recruitment efforts as well as explore methodstoretaincurrentemployeesandimprovejobsatisfaction.Wewillalsowork toexpandourpartnershipswithacademicinstitutionsandevaluatecurrentresources and programs in order to better identify the needs and effectiveness of the Department.

SaintLouis CountyPolice Department

StrengthenRecruitmentEfforts

Conductadepartment-wideworkloadstudyto determinestaffingrequirementsoutsideofpatrol officers.

Goal 5

EnrichTraining

TheSt.LouisCountyPoliceDepartmentstrivestoprovidethehighestqualitytraining in order to equip their employees with the knowledge and skills to better serve residents Withinlawenforcement,trainingneedsareconstantlychanging,alongwith the courses and type of instruction offered. Therefore, we will work to improve the quality and consistency of training that is provided, as well as develop an improved evaluationsystemtofurtherdeterminethequalityandeffectivenessofalltraining.

Goal 5: Initiative A

ImproveQualityandConsistencyofTraining

includesafirearmsrange,emergencyvehicle operationcourse,scenariobuildings,and

acentralfieldtrainingunit.

application,andperceptionofallcritical Departmentpolicies. X

SaintLouis CountyPolice Department

What's Next?

Over the course of the next five years, the Department will work to achieve the outlined goals and key activities through collaboration with each division in an effort to identify actionitemsthatwillsupporteachpredeterminedkeyactivity.

Throughout the year, Division Commanders will provide status updates to the Bureau of Research and Analysis on their efforts. Annually, a strategic plan update will be prepared, published, and disseminated to inform both employees and citizens on the Department's progress of achieving these goals and activities. Below you will find an excerpt of the contentthatwillbecontainedinthereport.

ThecycleofconstantevaluationwillbevitalinensuringthattheDepartmentissuccessful in achieving the goals outlined in the strategic plan. By engaging one another and the communitythroughoutthenextfiveyears,theDepartmentcanworktowardsfulfillingits missionofmakingSt.LouisCountyasaferplacetoliveandwork.